CARDINAL ALVISE CORNARO, son of Cav. Proc. Giovanni Cornaro (B-63/G-1), was a member of the family's Cornaro della Regina branch in the S. Polo line. He began his ecclesiastical career by entering the military order of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. He was named Grand Prior (Comendator) of Cyprus, but renounced it in favor of his brother Federico Cornaro (G-6) (who later became a Cardinal also). Alvise was elevated to Cardinal by Pope Julius III, 20 November 1551. He was appointed Archbishop of Zara, 1554, and Archbishop of Bergamo, 1560.

Cardinal Alvise was active in promoting the league that was formed against the Turks, culminating in the battle of Lepanto, 1571. He supervised construction of his family's Palazzo Cornaro in Rome, designed by Giacomo del Duca, and is buried in the nearby church of S. Maria in Trivio.

In the period from 1500 to 1789 nine members of the Cornaro family served as Cardinal, for a combined total of 150 years of service.